Weather Explainers

When the Last Freeze of the Season Typically Occurs

May 01 2019 04:00 PM EDT

weather.com

Have We Seen the Last Freeze of the Season?

Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari looks at when we typically see the last freeze across the country.

At a Glance

The date of the average last freeze of the season is highly variable across the U.S.

Areas near the Canadian border and in the Mountain West typically see their last freeze the latest.

In parts of the South, this may occur before the end of March.

The average date of the last freeze is highly variable across the United States and is used not only by gardeners, but as a proxy for when you may finally be able to pack away the winter coat for the season.

The map below illustrates when the last freeze of the season typically occurs, based on 1981-2010 averages. Keep in mind, the last freeze can vary greatly from year to year, depending on the weather pattern in place over the country during the spring months.

Before March 10

Cities along the Gulf Coast and in the Deep South see their last freeze, on average, before March 10. However, this can occur much earlier or much later, depending on the weather conditions each year.

City

Average Last Freeze

Latest Last Freeze

Miami

Jan. 9

March 3

Tampa, Florida

Jan. 20

March 4

Jacksonville, Florida

Feb. 26

April 8

Savannah, Georgia

March 5

April 16

Houston

Feb. 20

April 10

Galveston, Texas

Jan. 22

March 20

Since 1950, Miami has only recorded five winter seasons with a freeze: 1976-77, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1984-85 and 1989-90.

The map above also shows an area in the Desert Southwest and Southern California that, on average, sees its last freeze before March 10. This includes Los Angeles and San Diego, but these cities don't typically see freezing temperatures.

Since 1950, San Diego has only dropped to 32 degrees or colder one time (Jan. 13, 1963) at Lindbergh Field. Los Angeles dropped to the freezing mark or colder the same date as San Diego and also on Dec. 20 and Dec. 21, 1968, at Los Angeles International Airport.

March 10-30

A large swath of the South, along with parts of the Interstate 95 corridor, Desert Southwest and West Coast, typically experience their last freeze between March 10 and March 30.

City

Average Last Freeze

Latest Last Freeze

Atlanta

March 21

April 23

Dallas

March 10

April 13

New York City

March 29

April 17

Portland, Oregon

March 19

May 2

Seattle

March 10

May 1

Washington, D.C.

March 27

April 21

March 30 - April 10

A broad swath from southern New Mexico to the Northeast urban heat islands typically experiences its last freeze of the season in late March or early April.

City

Average Last Freeze

Latest Last Freeze

Raleigh-Durham

April 6

May 10

St. Louis

April 3

May 10

Richmond, Virginia

April 5

May 11

Nashville

April 3

April 23

Philadelphia

April 2

May 11

Boston

April 5

April 29

It is interesting to note Boston's latest last freeze is earlier than Raleigh-Durham's by a week and a half, likely due to Boston's proximity to the relatively warmer Atlantic Ocean.

April 10-30

Many cities from the Plains and Midwest to the East Coast see their average last freeze between April 10 and April 30, in an average year.

City

Average Last Freeze

Latest Last Freeze

Kansas City

April 11

May 3

Omaha, Nebraska

April 23

May 15

Chicago

April 23

May 29

Indianapolis

April 16

May 27

Buffalo

April 22

May 24

Pittsburgh

April 27

May 24

If you live in any of these cities, despite your average final freeze in mid- to late April, it may be best to wait until closer to Memorial Day to plant your garden. In Chicago, the last freeze occurred as late as May 29 in 1965, essentially around the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

April 30 - May 20

These later freeze dates are basically confined to the nation's northern tier and Mountain West, which is to be expected.

City

Average Last Freeze

Latest Last Freeze

Green Bay

May 4

June 6

Fargo, North Dakota

May 8

June 20

Concord, New Hampshire

May 14

June 26

Bangor, Maine

May 8

May 27

Denver

May 12

June 8

Reno, Nevada

May 10

June 29

Despite these cities seeing their last freeze in early to mid-May in an average year, sometimes it doesn't occur until around or after the summer solstice (June 21 this year), such as in Fargo, Concord and Reno.

After May 20

Any freezes after May 20 are generally in areas near the Canadian border or in the highest elevations of the Rocky Mountains.

City

Average Last Freeze

Latest Last Freeze

Missoula, Montana

May 20

June 30

Casper, Wyoming

May 21

June 14

Ely, Nevada

June 14

June 30

Flagstaff, Arizona

June 6

June 29

Idaho Falls, Idaho

May 30

June 26

Livingston, Montana

May 27

June 29

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.